Dek Unu Magazine Charles Titterington December 2020

ek
nu

Magazine

©Dek Unu Arts, 2020
Images:
©Charles Titterington

Eleven

This is Dek Unu Magazine. In Esperanto, dek unu means "eleven."

Eleven images from a single artist. Eleven artists in eleven solo issues each
year.

Dek Unu publishes the work of a new photoartist in each issue. The artist's
work and words are featured alone and in individual focus as the sole
purpose for each issue of the magazine. Unlike other arts and letters
magazines which might look for work from a variety of artists to support an
editorial staff's theme, at Dek Unu, theme and imagery are always each
artist's own.

This Month

Florida photographer Charles Titterington’s surreal conceptual images grow
from the same famously strange Southern roots as Flannery O'Connor's
short stories, William Faulkner's novels, and the photographs of Clarence
John Laughlin. Though he lives and works in modernized and Disneyfied
central Florida, his images include swamps and serpents, mysteries and
metaphors, executed in folded darknesses with shocks of blue, green, and
red. The emotional atmospheres he creates come from careful planning,
theatrical staging, and mastery of camera craft. Each photograph could be a
still from a film, the frame capturing its subject suspended in time, in splendid
isolation.

Titterington literally builds his images. The process often begins with
Carpentry and the tools in his workshed long before he breaks out the Canon
and the Godox and the Lightroom. Usually using scavenged wood and
backyard settings, he builds toward his final concept one nail at a time.
Although his constructions are disassembled and repurposed and his
property returns to normal when a shoot is done, the images stick in memory,
repeating when one least expects them. Listen for the echoes.

Breaking Pointe

Balancing the contrast between beauty and pain. These words did not come to mind the first
time this idea came to me. | am looking back at all of the dance images | have taken over the
years, especially dancers on pointe. The words now stand out for me. | have spent a lot of time
in dance studios watching my wife and daughters learn to dance and teach over the years. It

is normal to see mirrors on the walls in a dance studio. Mirrors are helpful tools to assist young
dancers in learning. | have always been captivated by mirrors, especially broken ones. | love
the obscured vision of perception they give.

Nature’s Embrace

This is one of my images that has had its share of responses from positive to negative. |
welcome them all with open arms. We all have different stories, and they are all worthy of an
open ear. This shoot was an experiment, two creative minds working together to find an image.
The simplicity of the nude subject in nature was ideal for the experiment. The name Nature's
Embrace opens the image to interpretation by the viewer. | honestly have a hard time finding
the words when naming some pieces and this was one of them; but, when it hit me, it stuck.

Full Bloom

“Looking past the facade, the underlying details appear in full bloom. Welcoming a new
perception, love can be both aesthetic and explosive within the same moment.”
2018 Charles Titterington

These are the words | wrote to go with this piece. For me, growing up in a broken home
had its ups and downs. Lessons to be learned, and, now, having a few years under my belt,
being married for twenty-four years is an unheard-of thing compared to what | grew up
knowing. Nobody is perfect and things always change. Love is diverse and follows nobody's
rules. The lessons never stop when loving someone.

Awakening

Awakening is one of those pieces that, for some reason, | was bound and determined to create.
This life-size music box was constructed in the middle of the rainy season during my already
hectic work schedule. This idea sat festering for some time before it broke ground, and | com-
mitted to the idea. My backyard would be the backdrop. Once | started, it would be six months
before | finished.

| admit | have an attraction to broken things. The idea began with the concept of a girl coming
across a life-size damaged music box with a ballerina. Her curiosity compels her to turn the key
to see if it works. My interest in fairy tales brought me to the table, then adding darker undertones
added texture to help tell my story.

Dancer Unleashed

This image showcases one of the first large props | built. | have a hard time letting things go

to waste when an opportunity presents itself. A family member was rebuilding an old roof and
a lot of wood was to become trash. My interest in texture and old broken things kicked in, and

| offered to take some of the wood, including a large, heavy crate, off theirhands. Soon after,
it was in my back yard. Somewhere around Halloween that year, | began playing around with
ideas and, as | have dancers at home, Dancer Unleashed was born.

Swamp Reflections

| do a lot of experimenting during my creative process. | might have one or two ideas to start
with, but things happen; so, | try to move on and make the best of the time | have to create.
This shot was staged in the middle of Shingle Creek with the idea of using a mirror in the mix.

Ona:to
Art touches both the emotions and the intellect; although its lessons are not always simple,
art educates. Ona:to is a celebration of rarity and a lesson in looking deeper. Alopecia is a rare
autoimmune disorder that causes the body to attack its hair follicles leading to temporary or
permanent hair loss. This condition is not particular to age, sex, or ethnicity. It often appears
during childhood and can be different for everyone who has it. Although it is not communicable
or disfiguring, those who suffer from alopecia are often stigmatized by people ignorant of the
disease. The Eastern Indigo snake is also rare, a species that grows to seven feet in length.
Although some, in ignorance, fear it, it is actually non-venomous, easygoing, and an asset in
the environment. Being blinded by ignorance is never healthy. Through education, we learn
about things we do not understand.

The name Ona:to is a Kanien’Keha (Mohawk) word translated to “snake, black.” This is an
endangered lroquoian language currently spoken by 3,500 people of the Mohawk Nation.
To learn more: https://www.charlestitterington.com/onato.

Glass Walls

| am continually looking for new ways to experiment with ideas and how to use my equipment.
Not having a studio leaves me to chance; when an opportunity presents itself, | have to take tt.
My wife received a reasonably large fish tank, and it fit the bill for an idea | had on the back
burner.

The concept called for one model (my wife) to be in the fish tank with fish. | staged all of this in
our front yard. | used a blackout cloth to give depth and hide the distractions right behind her.
Once things were ready, | introduced the fish and baby turtles into the mix and finished it off
with my wife in the water for the final image. As soon as we finished, the yard got some water,
and | turned the tank into an upgraded enclosure for Elvira, the Eastern Indigo.

Assent

This image was created the same day as Swamp Reflections. We were again experimenting
with emotional storytelling with mirrors. | like to find objects that have a character that adds
depth and mood to the scene. This antique mirror was bought just as you see it, broken.

| remember the day well. | inquired about the price when | saw it. The shop owner suggested
replacing the mirror. | told him that the mirror is why | was interested in buying it. | see myself
as broken; | have ever since | was a child. Broken mirrors are, in ways, an extension of my
self, and echo the pain that seeps through in some of my work.

Affliction

This image Is a fine example of when ideas get thrown out, and you roll with it. This shoot was
fun and, although we did not have a lot of time, we made things work and spent the time wisely.
When my original idea did not pan out, we started experimenting. In the end, this is the image
that came out. For me, in this image, the color red represents passion and how we can get
wrapped up in it. Passion has so many meanings to me, and we all have our passions in life.
Just like love, it comes in all shapes and sizes.

Dark Descent

In search of new perceptions of portraiture, | enlisted my treasured Ikelite camera housing to
achieve this image. Working underwater is relatively new to me, but my eagerness to explore
and experiment keeps me learning. | have always loved the water in Florida. The tannin
waters in the swamps adds just the right amount of obscurity to my images. It might be the
beginning of a new part of my journey working in the water this way. | have plans to get
certified for scuba so that | can open up my possibilities.

Dek Unu has never featured a former alligator wrangler before!

| worked at Gatorland in my late teens, providing education programs
to guests while working with live animals, including the Gator
Wrestling Show, Gator Jumparoo, and Snakes of Florida. But, before
that, | took my first job as a photographer with a local medieval-
themed dinner show; and | have a picture of myself in a tunic and
tights in my high school yearbook to prove it. | bounced between
animal-related jobs (horses, gators, snakes, and bears) and photog-
raphy until a venue photography job opened up with Sharpshooter
Imaging at Walt Disney World parks and restaurants.

Charles Titterington

Your work is so technically and aesthetically accomplished; do
you have formal training in photography or other arts?

I'm entirely self-taught beyond what | learned through the public
school system. A photo class in high school, followed by two years
as a yearbook photographer, got me started, but I've always had a
high level of self-motivation and an eagerness to experiment. That,
and a lifetime of experiences, have inspired me and driven me to
learn by doing.

Fine art photography is a tough path, financially, for a
person with a family. How have you made it work?

In 2001, the year my first daughter was born, | started doing
event photography, stills and videos for meetings, conventions,
and shows, including ballroom dance competitions around the
United States and internationally. Between photo contracts, |
took jobs as a Teamsters union forklift operator and | still do this
today, working large trade shows that come to Orlando, IAAPA,
NPE, HIMMS, PGA, etc.

During the early years of working events, | only dabbled in art
photography, leaving my creativity on the back burner. It drove
me crazy. | was continually chasing the REAL JOBI | honestly
wanted to just be home with my family and make a living doing
what | love. | started my own business, doing events, portraits,
and photo services, in the middle of trying to balance family life,
multiple outside photography jobs, and union work all at the
same time. The past several years have been more stable,
more union work, less travel. | started a new business as
Charles Titterington, LLC, focused on the creative side, and,
now, | can think more about my family and my art. It has not
been an easy road.

Your resume suggests you are still wrangling reptiles?

In 2010, my wife founded her business, Swamp Girl
Adventures, a non-profit to promote conservation of wildlife and
habitats and to assist in the care and rehabilitation of animals in
need. As the volunteer art director for Swamp Girl, | do
photography, graphics, product design, website design, animal
enclosure design, construction, and maintenance, animal
husbandry and care.

Have a look at videos from Swamp Girl Adventures on youtube
and see more on her website: www.swampgirladventures org.

Your images are carefully planned, often with staging or sets.
Must be expensive? Time-consuming? Both?

| don't have an air-conditioned studio space where | can build and
store sets, so my back yard Is quite offen my location. Low overhead is
a plus. | actually repurpose a lot of wood, particularly for small
projects. | try my best not to spend anything unless | have to. In
Florida, especially during the rainy season, sets get wet and progress
slows down. Working with mother nature requires love and respect for
her time schedule. As frustrating as it is, | love the rain and all its
beautiful fury. Losing trees and flooding in the yard and workshed are
just a couple of the challenges from the weather over the years.

My image "Awakening" involved creating a very large set. | spent 6
months working my job, coming home, and putting in more hours
building between storms. Finally, one evening, after my daughters got
home from their long day with school and dance lessons, about 9:30
PM, we set up, resolved the lighting challenges, and got the shotsl!

ie,

Workshop View

The time-lapse video illustrates the process of creating and
executing “Awakening.” After all the work, two days later, |
moved on, repurposing a lot of the wood for animal
enclosures or other needed projects.

When you're not working with props in your back yard,
you find beautiful Florida landscapes. Any favorites?

| have a love for the outdoors. It honestly captivates me, and
it eases my mind. | love hiking, camping, and everything
under the stars. There are a few places that | have fre-
quented because of the look and accessibility. Most are ata
distance, and planning can be a big challenge, especially
since Covid-19. There are areas around St. Cloud that have
beautiful oak hammocks, which can be seen in my piece
“Nature's Embrace." Another favorite is off Shingle Creek, in
Kissimmee, where | found "Dark Descent" and "Swamp
Reflections.”

| was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and raised in
Kissimmee, Florida. My mother moved here when | was six
years old. Once | got used to the expansive skyline it, really
Started to grow on me. The stormsl! | fell in love with the
lightning storms and the rain. By nature, | feel | am nomadic. |!
| love seeing new places and picking up and moving would
be easy for me. My real roots run deep, so everything leads
to Mother Earth, and | won't have enough time to see it all.

Loving the adventure just getting outdoors usually inspires
me to shoot. The locations can come out of nowhere. Subject
changes from moment to moment. | enjoy taking photos of
trees, flowing water, bees, flowers, animals, whatever moves
me at the moment. Sometimes | find little things that surprise
me, like a dead fly attached to a tree branch by spider
webbing. Yes, | took the shot! | am both a nature lover and a
lover of the human condition. As uncomfortable as they both
can make us feel, we must learn to find harmony in contrast.

Traditional? Digital? Both?

| would have to say both. | started analog and, for me, it is more of
an intimate experience than digital's quick gratification. | have a
shop full of tools, so why not have a variety of cameras? | do not
use my 4x5 sheet film camera often. But when | do, it is a beautiful
experience. Chasing the light and the experience is an adventure.

My current camera toolbox contains: Canon 5D MIll, 24-105mm 1:4L,
17-40mm 1:4L,/0-200mm 1:2.8L, 100mm 1:2.8L, Ikelite 200DL
waterproof camera housing. Lights include: 2 Alienbee 800s, 1 Godox
AD400, 1 AD200, 2 LumeCubes, and an Ikelite DS160 for working
underwater.

Your images are thoroughly polished. What do you use for post
production? Software? Tools? Tricks?

| have learned to cherish Lightroom as my go-to for separating the
images that | like and basic editing. For more in-depth details, | use
Photoshop, which | have used since version 5.5. | am an Adobe fan
for sure. | had used a 5x/ Wacom tablet for years, but last year |
made the jump to the Cintig Pro and well... as someone who has
drawn my whole life, | have to say it finally feels normal to edit
directly on the image. | was never a mouse fan!

Although | use a digital camera mostly these days, | often treat my
image process as if | am shooting film, managing composition, scene,
and exposure in the camera. When everything clicks with the idea in
my head, | call it. Bringing it into Lightroom is when | get a complete
sense of what | have to work with. If | do any editing, | fall back to the
original feeling of the photo. For me, it is a moment of excitement, the
visual stimulus that a great image gives you.

Although they all relate to your style, each image in this
collection stands alone. Do you also work in series?

| do not feel | have just one set way of working. | evolve my perception
as | see fit for the story | wish fo tell. Some of my pieces are only about

one idea and one image. Others | experiment with concepts
until | get something | like. | am actually working on a series
that is developing from my images of dancers on pointe. My
wife teaches dance and my daughters, Vala and Calla, have
danced since they were three years old, so | know the
subject well. | prefer the flexibility to adapt to elements
versus being bound in one box.

What about mentors or influences? Anyone who's been
particularly helpful to your career?

My wife, Kim, has been a driving force for years. She helps
me whenever she can. She has been a part of many of my
projects over the years and will always be my #1. My
daughters both have inspired me to keep moving and never
give up. | love getting their opinion about my work or any
project. We all live in a fast-paced lifestyle, definitely not a
boring household! And, Thomas McMahon, my father-in-
law, an amazing man and the father | never had, has taught
me so much, and | am sure it is only a small piece of the
knowledge he has to offer. | had no clue what | was in for
when | married a mechanic's daughter. He has taught me to
be resourceful and how fo find a way to get things done.

Finally, If it were not for the models that have been willing to work
with me over the years, | would not have created any of the images
that | have today. Thank you alll

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3 Be

What's the most satisfying thing for you about this work? What
keeps you going?

| honestly really enjoy the time to experiment with ideas. If a concept
haunts me, it tends to drive me nuts until | start my experimenting
process.

To express my emotions through this medium empowers me to keep
going. There ts a level of solace that | feel when | finish some work. Not
all of my work is dark, although | think it can be perceived that way.
There is a level of honesty in my work. | enjoy showcasing the various
mood swings in life. When | walk through a piece of land scorched from
a prescribed burn, | see the destruction, but | also see the life, the the
endurance that survives the fire. | aim to capture the emotion and
honesty that is just under the surface.

What's the art climate like in Florida?

| like to think | can make my art wherever | am; but being an
artist in Florida is an excellent thing for me. | have many
lush backgrounds to utilize, but there's a big world out there
that | still need to explore.

Joining the Tampa Bay Society of Photographic Artists has
opened me up fo learning more about the business of fine
art photography. The networking opportunities are always a
plus, and it is wonderful to be around other creative minds.
I've found more comfort with my work and found many
opportunities to be involved in showcasing artwork in various
locations.

| have received recognition for my piece “Ona:to" twice in
the past few months. The first was with my submission of
“Ona:to" to the FMoPA annual members show. | placed 3rd
in the Conceptual category, and recently it was a

nominee for Fine Art through the Black & White Spider
Awards.

What's next? Plans and projects for the future?

| do have a few projects that are in planning, more on the
back burner at the moment. When it actually happens Is a
big question due to finances. Covid has put a halt on my day
job, so things have been complicated. At Swamp Girl
Adventures, we are documenting a project studying the
diseases affecting Gopher tortoises and box turtles in
Florida. | have plans for my Ikelite Camera housing and the
Ikelite DS160 light; the idea of shooting rain or shine in
Florida sounds fun! This piece of equipment has opened up
what was once a limitation of experimentation with my
camera. Most of all, | would love to attend an in-person
event again. There is something special about seeing
people in person, answering questions, and just enjoying
some social time.

Thanks, Charles. May we share your links to stay in
touch?

https://www.charlestitterington.com
https://www.instagram.com/charlestitterington/

Email inquiries:
info [at] charlestitterington [dot] com

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